by Lisa Loeb & illustrated by Ryan O'Rourke ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2012
Purportedly for kids, but adults will find their share here as well.
Songs for singing around a campfire—or anywhere, with s’mores!
Loeb makes no pretense to hide her fondness for summer camp. Her previous children’s album (Camp Lisa, 2008) contained many camp favorites, while her non-profit, The Camp Lisa Foundation, helps underprivileged kids experience the joy of sleeping under the stars. Here, Loeb offers a songbook to go along with her musical adventures. Comprised of four original songs and six camp standards, each tune has the lyrics playfully displayed. Loeb includes small introductions (often camp memories), activities, recipes and hand motions to act out. With swirls aplenty and florid script, O’Rourke creates a decidedly mod interior. A Hanna-Barbera–esque Loeb, complete with cat's-eye glasses, is front and center. Children will bop to the snappy beat of "I’m a Little Coconut" and delight in the topsy-turvy "Opposite Day." And who doesn’t like to croon the (seemingly) endless "Found a Peanut"? Nostalgic reminiscences join inventive, musical songwriting in this inclusive package.
Purportedly for kids, but adults will find their share here as well. (author's note, CD) (Nonfiction. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4027-6915-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: Dec. 2, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2011
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by Anne Rockwell ; illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 25, 2018
Black and brown nature lovers, here’s one to read and share
Mother-daughter author-illustrator team Anne (who passed away in April 2018) and Lizzy Rockwell have crafted a quiet story that positively portrays a black family spending time in nature. While this shouldn’t be a news flash in 2018, it is.
A black family—mom, dad, and daughter—drives 20 minutes away from their suburb for a day hike up Hickory Hill, where they enjoy the flora, fauna, and autumnal changes. The higher they climb, the sparser the vegetation becomes until they reach the summit and take in the expansive views. This picture book offers a rare snapshot of a family of color spending quality family time in the woods. Since they think they are lost at one point, perhaps they have not hiked often, but this does not dampen their enthusiasm. Several animals make an appearance in the watercolor illustrations, done in a soft, mostly pastel palette, including a porcupine, birds, a deer, a chipmunk, and a toad. The young female narrator describes the woodpecker she sees as redheaded; this, too, suggests that she hasn’t done much bird-watching since the bird is a pileated woodpecker, and a kid who had grown up birding would know it by both sound and sight. Still, readers will appreciate the daughter’s delight as she chooses the trail to hike and really notices her surroundings.
Black and brown nature lovers, here’s one to read and share . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 25, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4814-2737-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
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by Todd Tarpley ; illustrated by Vin Vogel ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2020
Good fun for all little ninjas and their parents.
After swinging out from the jungle after a long day of ninja-ing, Will makes his way home just in time for a bath. But as all ninjas know, danger lurks around every corner.
Even naughty ninjas get hungry, but Dad says, “Pee-yew,” and insists his little ninja get clean before going near a morsel. Ever the Naughty Ninja, Will follows his dad into the bathroom and immediately spies danger: Poisonous flies that have followed him from the jungle! As any parent would, his dad begs him not to say, “Ninja to the rescue,” because we all know what comes after a catchphrase…chaos! Through each increasingly rough rescue, Dad finds himself more and more defeated in his quest to complete bathtime, but ultimately he starts to find the infectious joy that only the ridiculousness of children can bring out in an adult. The art is bright and finds some nifty ninja perspectives that use the space well. It also places an interracial family at its center: Dad has brown skin and dark, puffy hair, and Mom is a white redhead; when out of his ninja cowl, Will looks like a slightly lighter-skinned version of his father. Kids will laugh at everything the dad is put through, and parents will knowingly nod, because we have all had nights with little ninjas soaking the bathroom floor. The book starts out a little text heavy but finds its groove quickly, reading smoothly going forward. Lots of action means it’s best not to save this one for bedtime.
Good fun for all little ninjas and their parents. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5420-9433-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
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